Just visited this place? Lousy service!!! I would not recommend to anyone. Had to go to register to get check and both the waiter and mgr thought it funny! DO NOT GO!!!
(1)
A F.
Yuck pulled pork is ok but brisket is well not sure you can even call it brisket. Touch chewy sliver slices. So sad. Be sure to look at the picture. That is really what they served me!
(1)
BluesMan M.
Went it today at lunch time. I had 1/2 rack of Ribs, Beans & Coleslaw. I got my food quick and everything tasted very good. Cammy was the Bartender/Server she was Smiley and very friendly. I give her and Dave's 2 Thumbs up if I had 4 thumbs I would give her more. I will go back again Great Job Cammy!!!
(5)
Chad R.
Great BBQ and great environment! I have had nothing but great experiences at the place and we eat there monthly.
(5)
Abbi S.
Omg I love famous daves!! They're food is amazing, the service is above average and I always get my food right away. I would eat there every day.
(5)
Allie K.
Famous Daves is the perfect place for some old fashioned comfort food. Is it a chain? Yup. Does that mean it's not delicious? Absolutely not! The parking lot is definitely a rarity downtown, and super nice, but the inside leaves a bit to be desired. It's clean enough, but a small space with no booths (where do I put my purse!?!?) and server stations are right by the tables. It feels like you should be able to get your own refills at the soda station but instead your server does it about a foot away from you. The service was efficient. He was not one for small talk, but we didn't wait for anything he was very on top of everything. Food is good, my mashed potatoes were only like warm but everything else was good as usual! Good place to go for some American BBQ and a cold beer (in a frosted glass!)
(3)
Owen W.
I was still a little pissed about the wings and the fish sandwich. I learned my lesson. Good place, good BBQ, good ribs, good sauce. Overall, pret-ay, pret-ay, pret-ay, pretty good.
(4)
Melissa S.
We were sat close to the bar but tucked out of the way. The problem with that was we were forgot about just as a table near us was left dirty during most our visit, 3 servers walked over food on the floor near our table, our server seldom came to our table, we had someone else bring our food. I'm pretty disappointed in this location. I do enjoy the location in Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells. I will never frequent this location again.
(1)
Brian C.
I was very pleasantly surprised. Don't get me wrong-- this place's flavor profile is almost entirely made up of butter, but you probably knew that if you're considering a chain barbecue joint to go eat aren't you? The tenders, ribs, chicken are all great. They offer a variety of different barbecue sauces depending on your palate for sweetness and for spice. The corn muffins are sweet and moist, which makes them easily delicious. Wait staff is attentive. Good spot. That being said, my good experience probably cost on the order of 3500 calories, so just know thats whats happening.
(4)
Craig W.
Before I started Yelping here in Madison, we lived for 13 years in the Twin Cities, the adopted hometown of Famous Dave Anderson, where he turned his original, Hayward, Wis., BBQ joint into a multi-state chain. We have been to Famous Dave's dozens of times in close to a dozen locations. Their quality is very consistent -- solid, not spectacular, although their portion sizes have shrunk over the years. We'll be back to Famous Dave's many more times, I'm sure. For now, I'm just going to letter grade all the menu items I remember trying: Brisket: A-. Some of the best I've had. Nice smoke ring, tender, deep flavor. The minus is for the small portions and occasional grisly days. Use the Texas Pit sauce. Pulled pork: B+. I'm not a huge pulled pork fan but theirs is pretty good. I like it with the Georgia Mustard, Devil's Spit or Wilbur's Revenge sauce. Ribs/rib tips: B+/A-. The ribs are pricey but tender and smoky. Sometimes overcooked. The tips come in a generous portion, naked with a rub, and a tangy sauce. They get a minus only because they're tips, not ribs. Still, I'd get them over the ribs just for the value. Hot links: B. Good smoked sausage, nothing special. They seem overcooked sometimes, as well. I like them with the brisket on the Texas Manhandler sandwich. Chicken: smoked - B; roasted - C. Kinda greasy and made with scrawny chickens, but the BBQ chicken holds the smoke flavor well. Skip the roast chicken. It's got a sweet flavor with a hint of citrus. Lemon, maybe? I don't get it. New: Burnt ends. B+. Would be an A if the portion was bigger. These are very tender, hold their smoke flavor and definitely worth trying. Just order an extra side so you don't leave hungry. Wings: Skip them. My son thinks they made him sick. Possible, because they're just not good. Go to a wing joint for wings. Sides: Beans C, potato salad B, coleslaw B+, fries B+, corn muffins B, corn cobs C-, garlic mashed potatoes B-, drunken apples B+ (my kids' fav side).
(3)
Peggy Y.
Came here since it is supposedly a pretty decent BBQ joint here at Madison. We ordered everything I took pictures of. Obviously their BBQ baby back is the most popular, so we ordered two. I wouldn't recommend the brisket EVER and AT ALL. If you try both, you will completely ditch the brisket. It's more on the dry side and not as tender as the baby back. I thought prices were fair, but to be honest, I like Wood ranch back here in Calif so much better. However, I did enjoy trying the 6 different BBQ sauce they offered on the table. Also on another note, if you like Phil's BBQ from San Diego, you probably can skip this place as well :) Service was excellent. Our server was attentive and checked up on us often. I loved his friendly service and attitude. I thought this place was average. I didn't taste the GRILL that BBQ meat is supposed to have. Not sure if it's because it's drenched with BBQ sauce. As for the sides, I liked their thick cut fries, and corn. The beans were way too sweet and the mash potato was just below average. Buffalo wings were OK (3 stars) but nothing special or I haven't tried. I see a lot of other parties ordering burgers as well. Shouldn't be too bad.
(3)
Pearl S.
You have to be a certain type of special person to like this food and be in a certain special state of mind to want to come here....like you have to have a heart attack a few seconds after taking a bite. If that's you and that's what you want. Have a ball. I will be enjoying not having clogged arteries somewhere else....
(1)
Adam F.
Slow service but the food was great. Brisket plate and half slab of ribs....baked beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and corn muffins were all excellent!!!!! People mention the price is too high, I felt it was a good price for the volume of food we got. Called in for take out...was told that it would be ready in 10-15 minutes. 30 minutes later the food came out. Small trade for the dinner they provided..
(4)
Kyara M.
I would love to bump Famous Daves (FD) up to 4 stars. Even for someone who isn't crazy about BBQ, I can appreciate the great flavors you get from some good smokey BBQ. I really like FD's beef brisket and salt water catfish. The brisket is perfectly cooked encompassing all of the natural flavors of the cut of meat. The catfish, while small, are seasoned perfectly. Corn muffins are pretty damn good to be restaurant. Very buttery, moist and lighted toasted. Services generally has always been good. Now, where I have to knock off some points is their banana pudding. When they do have it in stock, I always get it because it is that damn good. Absolutely amazing. The only person I know that makes great banana pudding is my auntie. However, considering the non-instant kind of banana pudding is time consuming, she can't always make me a batch. It's nice to have a restaurant in town that serves it and serves it well. The last three times I've dined at FD, they were complete out. One time, we even asked the waiter if they had any and we were told yes. Well, when it comes time to order it, we are told they were out. What?! How can this be so!? Last time we dined, we (again) asked the waiter if they had any. He said yes. OK. About 15 minutes later, he tells us there was only enough to make 1 more serving. Our table had to share it. I am not sure how many batches they make during a day but I would recommend they make more. The last three times we've came, it as during general dinner hours so it is not like we are coming too late in the day and are just missing out. It seems that they simply do not make enough. Their banana pudding is the most popular dessert. That being said, why not make extra when there is high demand? Also, they got rid of the apples. Not sure why when they were very popular.
(3)
Blair J.
This is decent BBQ. Basically, if you really want some BBQ, and you're in Madison, WI, this will be fine. I've just had a whole lot better. The BBQ is average. The flavor is pretty good, the meat is iffy, and the food seems sloppily prepared. It's almost like they could earn another star if they only took the 3 extra minutes to properly prepare the food before it comes to the table - pick out some good slices of pickles, arrange the meat neatly on the bun so it isn't falling off onto the plate, etc. It feels lazy - and they can afford to be because there is little competition in town. Other bad things - their pop is gross. I don't know if I just caught them on a bad day, but I hate flavorless pop like this. The service was okay. A whole 10 min passed between the time I was finished and the time I got the check, and it was not because they were busy. I did get my food pretty quick though. Overall - average at best, and certainly unimpressive today.
(2)
Travis B.
This is my 3rd time here and it's always the same regardless of how busy - slow and sub-standard food quality for famous daves.
(3)
Victor L.
I was really amazed by the BBQ here. I'm from the South Chicago. Therefore, I know what good BBQ is. Haha... I got to say this place is not bad at all. Sure you may second think it by being a chained restaurant-ish, but looks can sure be deceiving. Sadly, this place was very dead, but the service was well awake. For me, BBQ is really hard to describe in words. It's a type of food you just have try for your self. Even though most of the items on the menu are sort of pricey, you have to get, I guess the sampler, "the feast for 2. It'll change your mind about overrated BBQ joints.
(3)
John G.
As you're aware it's a chain. Occasionally the bbq can be a bit dry, but it's easily made up with the various sauces. They have a good variety of sauces to appease a wide variety of people. I recommend hitting the place for lunch. The you pick 2 meats deal is very reasonable. My hint would be if you're debating an early or late lunch, go later. If you are early sometimes you get meat from the night before. Later it seems to be fresher.
(4)
Brandy L.
Yummy! I've now eaten here twice in the past month. Both times the good was delicious. I ordered chicken BBQ sandwich Memphis style with a side a Mac n cheese.
(5)
Sage H.
Lemonade was great. Sauces are good, flavorful. Cornbread was buttery and crisp. But the brisket was tough and gummy. The chicken was ok but wasn't much. Gone after a few pinches off the bone. I don't like thigh meat. I expected pulled bbqed breast meat. But it was whole chicken thighs so the meat was not flavorful. The beans were described beautifully but it was just plain ole beans with no flavor.
(1)
Tunaidi A.
Where else in Madison can I get good old southern American barbecue meat? Famous Dave's is the answer. I'm a huge fan of the rib tips here. I never fail to get them as they are juicy, mouthwatering, and delicious. If I get anything else, I usually do the half and half combo, where I can try something else for one half of my plate and still get my beloved rib tips. I'm also a fan of having the cornbread and a side dish come free with each order. It never hurts to eat more food at a very affordable price. The best thing about this Famous Dave's location is their service. I feel like every time I've been here, I've come with a group of 10-15 people and the staff is so quick to put together tables and take our orders.
(4)
B R.
Famous Dave's has always been my go-to place for a birthday meal, and often in between birthdays. But this last time it was different. Only two bbq sauce choices on each table, no butter for corn or muffins, no wet-nap for clean up. And the portions were smaller. After spending $30-40 on a meal for two what you don't want is to leave still feeling peckish. It really felt like they were trying to cheap out on everything. It's a shame, because previously I'd always been completely satisfied. Still friendly wait staff, but next year I'm going to look around.
(2)
Jason H.
This was a tough one for me to write as overall I like Famous Dave's quite a bit but I have had a couple of "not so good" experiences as of late, and I thought I should let people know about them. FIRST - Do not get take out from this location - I cannot comment about other locations but this one is just not good. It seems to me they save the best ribs for those dining in and give the old, dry, cold ones to the take out people.....BOOOOOOO. Secondly - the restaurant as a whole just seems to be in decline. We live very close to this location and I drive by it regularly and it just seems to always be very slow around the place. Not sure if it is the poor quality of food they are putting out or what but something should change. I absolutely love ribs and their sauces are the best but come on Famous Dave.....get your quality back up and maybe just maybe you will get people back in the door.
(3)
Sam G.
Nothing special, but not bad if you're in Madison (a city void of good bbq) and have a craving for bbq. I've had the brisket and the pulled pork a few times. It's always been cooked well, decently flavorful. The sides are ok, and the portions are big for the price. Service is always friendly and pretty fast. 3 1/2 stars.
(3)
Sophie P.
I can make BBQ at home in my slow cooker. If you want good BBQ go to Smokey Jon's not a chain restaurant.
(1)
Ann B.
solid bbq not great but never been dissapointed very good burnt ends good burgers if someone in group doesn't wan't bbq like the beans and cornbread good kids meals at ressonable prices my kids love that they come with oreos have always had solid service prices on par with other bbq joints like the variety of sauce choices hubby loves the blues music they play
(4)
Brendan T.
This is for the Dells location which didn't come up on Yelp but I'm sure it would be the same review anyway...so would you think "Devil's Spit" BBQ sauce would be spicy? You'd be wrong here....no heat just endless sugar and salt...even the broccoli!
(2)
Kevin T.
Famous Daves, I got nothin' against you. Your food is good and I've had pleasant experiences at other locations. Not that I need to visit this place all the time, but, you know, it's good. Except this place. The particular night we came here was the result of a severe overcrowding at Concert on the Square. So we gave up and arrived around 6:00PM to a fairly empty restaurant. Our waitress took our drink orders and I promptly received my beer. My wife, ordering the common Spotted Cow, was informed nearly 15 minutes later the keg was tapped. So, she ordered a soda and we ordered our meal, and I ordered soup to get me started. Fast forward 20 minutes, and my wife has killed her soda. Our waitress is nowhere to be seen in a still-fairly-empty-for-dinnertime restaurant. I walk up to the bar to get her a refill. The bartender tells me he can't refill sodas. A few minutes later, a server shows up with my soup. Literally with another server right behind him with our entrees. Now, the food was just about on par with what I've had at other Famous Daves. But this one left me with a not so great impression. I give it two stars for the food, but hold back the rest for the service.
(2)
M S.
Sure the idea of bbq from a chain restaurant is a turn-off but Famous Dave's really is a good place. The ribs are good the sauce is good, the brisket is good. $3 margaritas every day. Tonight our ribs were just a little tough and our server could have done a touch better, but we are fans and always like our dinner here.
(4)
Brian H.
Famous Dave's has some great sauces to choose from. I am a fan of the Fire Pit. The food is great and filling. You get a lot of food for a decent price. We had excellent service as well. But, then again, it was a Monday late afternoon. The place was pretty empty.
(4)
Stephanie Q.
Firstly why is it called Famous Daaves BBQ? 1. Who is Dave? 2. Is Dave really famous? I walked in, curious to try the food. The decoration is cute, lots of sign boards everywhere. My waiter was pretty awesome. We had 6 bottles of BBQ sauce on our table and he explained every single one of them, the flavor, how hot / sweet it was, what it was made of. Then he brought us a plate of potato chips so we could try each sauce. I liked the original and the sweet/zesty one. I was afraid of trying the XXL sauce because it was super spicy. Spicy food makes me cry. I ordered from the lunch menu and decided on the St. Louis ribs. It came with a corn muffin, corn on the cob and your choice of side, I had broccoli. When my food came, I only had 3 ribs. I was expected at least half a slab. St. Louis ribs aren't that great, the meat isn't that tender and there is too much fat. Baby back ribs are so much better, baby ribs are always WINNING! The corn muffin was excellent. Corn on the cob, can't say much, just has lots of butter so it tastes good. At the end of the meal, the waiter gave us a free bottle of original bbq sauce.
(3)
Timothy S.
Excellent Bar-B-Que food. Just recently had the Salmon. Waiter was great and he said he's been there something like 8 years! What does that say for the place? They must take good care of their staff and also provide them with a place they love to work at. We love to eat there. Prices are a little above inexpensive. Atmosphere is nice. A little crowded. Bathrooms are pretty clean but not perfect. We really like this place. Wish it was larger. Update: Went here and ordered a burger. Something has changed because the meat itself was lousy. Nothing much different than a fast food burger and actually a little worse. What's up Famous Daves???? Update: Just tried their BBQ chicken sandwich. The flavor was just just ok. Not bad but not Dave's Delicious. The meat seemed a bit skimpy too. Never noticed before but their buns are all white wonder bread. Sorry Dave but that doesn't cut it with me. Can't you do a better bun than that? The service continues to be quite good here but I have to now say, stay away from their sandwiches. They are sort of fast food quality. Not what I expect from a good BBQ restaurant. Update: Went back again. The Salmon was ok to good but the shrimp was awful. It was like eating dry wads of newspaper. Way, way overcooked. No juiciness left in them. It was carry out so we ate what we could and tossed the rest. If I had been eating in they would have been sent back. Truly the worst shrimp I have ever been served. This is it for me. Won't be going back here for some time. They need a new chef. Big mess. Update: Gave them another try. (two years later) Had a delicious feast for two. One complaint. The corn sucks. It needs to be replaced with something else. Everything else was excellent. Cost with tip: 53 dollars. Not cheap.
(3)
Alison Y.
Famous Dave's is kind of like the McDonalds of barbeque. You know exactly how it's going to taste. It's not all that authentic, but it's still tasty. However, there are much better barbeque places in this town, so why waste your time here?
(3)
Jason M.
Used to love Famous Dave's before it became corporate and moved away from quality. That was a different time and in the state to the west of Wisconsin, even though the Hayward location is the original. The ribs are now are par-cooked, frozen, and shipped to the locations to be re-heated on the grill. Maybe this satisfies a barbeque fix, but once private equity owners take over a restaurant, quality goes downhill. I don't think Dave is even involved with the operation anymore. Skip and go to another place or the Honky Tonk in Chicago. Or buy the sauce (one good thing that's still there) and make your own ribs.
(2)
jon a.
There are not a lot of places to find good bar-b-que in Madison and this is my personal favorite. The Dave burger makes me gain weight just thinking about it and it is worth having to fit in another workout to enjoy it. The place is nothing fancy but something that serves huge slabs of meat should not be. The service is simple but good. If you want a fun atmosphere, great eats that will not empty your wallet I recommend Famous Daves.
(5)
mary b.
i agree with jon on this one. famous dave's does have great BBQ. and the setting is perfect for it. big tables for big parties. it's ideal for sharing, conversing, you name it. get your hands dirty and dig in. famous dave's is yummy.
(4)
Luke B.
During my four years in Mad-Town, I enjoyed this hometown BBQ pit probably 30 times. Except for the time the waitress literally told me to "clean my face" (not joking), the food has always been pretty solid and the service fairly quick. Lots of parking.
(4)
Nina O.
Authentic, perhaps not, yummy?- you bet! Famous Dave's is a little hokey, a little fakey, but still...the Dave's Ultimate Burger with bacon and chopped pork on top of an enormous burger is literally to die for! My personal fave is the Georgia chopped pork- as a platter it's a whole pile of food for ten bucks. the Mr. really loves the bread pudding on the rare occasion we order dessert!
(4)
Adam M.
Great sauce can go only so far... Madison's Famous Dave's is on par with 4/5 of the 'Famous' franchises that I have visited. Excellent prices, intriguing menu, entertaining atmosphere of shi*hole nostalgia and cheesy Dave photo manipulations. The main difference with this franchise is the lack of a wait. S. Park Street's Famous franchise is in a lower-midlin stretch of town with little in terms of decent choices (spare me with Edo's diatribes). It has plenty of parking and open tables (yes, I know Madison is far from the BBQ mecca of the world, but ... AYE!?!?!). The main draw to Dave's is the sauce. There is not a BBQ experience like it ... the table feature at least five sauces (sadly missing chipotle) including the best ever ... Texas Pit (tangy/peppery drippings from BBQ heaven). Food costs are reasonable and the offerings can be madcap fun (IE. the HIGHLY recommended feasts served on aluminum trash lids). All these positives and only four stars ... what gives? It's meat quality! Wisconsin Dells location has the best grade of like meat available. Several times I have stopped over to their restaurant only to be floored by the seemingly more tender and less fat saturated ribs and beef brisket. Over here (like the other franchise), I've been less than impressed with fatty and inconsistent meat tenderness. Although this location is not perfect, it's still my 2ND favorite BBQ joint that I had the opportunity to slop in.
(4)
Ken E.
I really wanted to like this place but after two tries I will not be back. One, very overpriced. Two, I could look past the price if the food was good. Tried the ribs the first time and was sad at the quality. The second time, tried some sandwiches and still disappointed in the quality and price. I've found that it is hard to find a good place to eat in Madison. Been here a few months and have found only a couple of good places.
(2)
Jeremy K.
Dave, I get it. Your establishment serves lots of tasty meat. Understood. But do you have to name a sandwich "Texas Manhandler"? That's really just too much.
(4)
Dave S.
Sorry folks, but if you think Famous Dave's is great BBQ then you need to get to a real down home open pit place sometime. Few BBQ places in the Midwest serve up the real deal BBQ, but there are some around, just not in Madison. Head to Speed Queen or Isiaah's in Milwaukee for truly excellent BBQ. Other than that head down South. Whatever you do, don't confuse Famous Dave's with the real thing. It ain't.
(3)
Michael E.
I have always really liked Famous Dave's. Dave has always been good to me, he knows just how to make a pulled pork sandwich just the way I like it. His ribs are delcious, too. You're not going to find any earth shattering new way to get pork dishes, but man it's delicious. Great cheap, hearty food to make you feel better. The televisions everywhere are probably great for game days, but a little distracting when you're with friends. My buddy Marcus also brought to my attention to the pig motif carried through the entire restaurant with disturbing frequency. Try that with cows in a burger joint and see how that plays out...
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Bryce B.
Just visited this place? Lousy service!!! I would not recommend to anyone. Had to go to register to get check and both the waiter and mgr thought it funny! DO NOT GO!!!
(1)A F.
Yuck pulled pork is ok but brisket is well not sure you can even call it brisket. Touch chewy sliver slices. So sad. Be sure to look at the picture. That is really what they served me!
(1)BluesMan M.
Went it today at lunch time. I had 1/2 rack of Ribs, Beans & Coleslaw. I got my food quick and everything tasted very good. Cammy was the Bartender/Server she was Smiley and very friendly. I give her and Dave's 2 Thumbs up if I had 4 thumbs I would give her more. I will go back again Great Job Cammy!!!
(5)Chad R.
Great BBQ and great environment! I have had nothing but great experiences at the place and we eat there monthly.
(5)Abbi S.
Omg I love famous daves!! They're food is amazing, the service is above average and I always get my food right away. I would eat there every day.
(5)Allie K.
Famous Daves is the perfect place for some old fashioned comfort food. Is it a chain? Yup. Does that mean it's not delicious? Absolutely not! The parking lot is definitely a rarity downtown, and super nice, but the inside leaves a bit to be desired. It's clean enough, but a small space with no booths (where do I put my purse!?!?) and server stations are right by the tables. It feels like you should be able to get your own refills at the soda station but instead your server does it about a foot away from you. The service was efficient. He was not one for small talk, but we didn't wait for anything he was very on top of everything. Food is good, my mashed potatoes were only like warm but everything else was good as usual! Good place to go for some American BBQ and a cold beer (in a frosted glass!)
(3)Owen W.
I was still a little pissed about the wings and the fish sandwich. I learned my lesson. Good place, good BBQ, good ribs, good sauce. Overall, pret-ay, pret-ay, pret-ay, pretty good.
(4)Melissa S.
We were sat close to the bar but tucked out of the way. The problem with that was we were forgot about just as a table near us was left dirty during most our visit, 3 servers walked over food on the floor near our table, our server seldom came to our table, we had someone else bring our food. I'm pretty disappointed in this location. I do enjoy the location in Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells. I will never frequent this location again.
(1)Brian C.
I was very pleasantly surprised. Don't get me wrong-- this place's flavor profile is almost entirely made up of butter, but you probably knew that if you're considering a chain barbecue joint to go eat aren't you? The tenders, ribs, chicken are all great. They offer a variety of different barbecue sauces depending on your palate for sweetness and for spice. The corn muffins are sweet and moist, which makes them easily delicious. Wait staff is attentive. Good spot. That being said, my good experience probably cost on the order of 3500 calories, so just know thats whats happening.
(4)Craig W.
Before I started Yelping here in Madison, we lived for 13 years in the Twin Cities, the adopted hometown of Famous Dave Anderson, where he turned his original, Hayward, Wis., BBQ joint into a multi-state chain. We have been to Famous Dave's dozens of times in close to a dozen locations. Their quality is very consistent -- solid, not spectacular, although their portion sizes have shrunk over the years. We'll be back to Famous Dave's many more times, I'm sure. For now, I'm just going to letter grade all the menu items I remember trying: Brisket: A-. Some of the best I've had. Nice smoke ring, tender, deep flavor. The minus is for the small portions and occasional grisly days. Use the Texas Pit sauce. Pulled pork: B+. I'm not a huge pulled pork fan but theirs is pretty good. I like it with the Georgia Mustard, Devil's Spit or Wilbur's Revenge sauce. Ribs/rib tips: B+/A-. The ribs are pricey but tender and smoky. Sometimes overcooked. The tips come in a generous portion, naked with a rub, and a tangy sauce. They get a minus only because they're tips, not ribs. Still, I'd get them over the ribs just for the value. Hot links: B. Good smoked sausage, nothing special. They seem overcooked sometimes, as well. I like them with the brisket on the Texas Manhandler sandwich. Chicken: smoked - B; roasted - C. Kinda greasy and made with scrawny chickens, but the BBQ chicken holds the smoke flavor well. Skip the roast chicken. It's got a sweet flavor with a hint of citrus. Lemon, maybe? I don't get it. New: Burnt ends. B+. Would be an A if the portion was bigger. These are very tender, hold their smoke flavor and definitely worth trying. Just order an extra side so you don't leave hungry. Wings: Skip them. My son thinks they made him sick. Possible, because they're just not good. Go to a wing joint for wings. Sides: Beans C, potato salad B, coleslaw B+, fries B+, corn muffins B, corn cobs C-, garlic mashed potatoes B-, drunken apples B+ (my kids' fav side).
(3)Peggy Y.
Came here since it is supposedly a pretty decent BBQ joint here at Madison. We ordered everything I took pictures of. Obviously their BBQ baby back is the most popular, so we ordered two. I wouldn't recommend the brisket EVER and AT ALL. If you try both, you will completely ditch the brisket. It's more on the dry side and not as tender as the baby back. I thought prices were fair, but to be honest, I like Wood ranch back here in Calif so much better. However, I did enjoy trying the 6 different BBQ sauce they offered on the table. Also on another note, if you like Phil's BBQ from San Diego, you probably can skip this place as well :) Service was excellent. Our server was attentive and checked up on us often. I loved his friendly service and attitude. I thought this place was average. I didn't taste the GRILL that BBQ meat is supposed to have. Not sure if it's because it's drenched with BBQ sauce. As for the sides, I liked their thick cut fries, and corn. The beans were way too sweet and the mash potato was just below average. Buffalo wings were OK (3 stars) but nothing special or I haven't tried. I see a lot of other parties ordering burgers as well. Shouldn't be too bad.
(3)Pearl S.
You have to be a certain type of special person to like this food and be in a certain special state of mind to want to come here....like you have to have a heart attack a few seconds after taking a bite. If that's you and that's what you want. Have a ball. I will be enjoying not having clogged arteries somewhere else....
(1)Adam F.
Slow service but the food was great. Brisket plate and half slab of ribs....baked beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and corn muffins were all excellent!!!!! People mention the price is too high, I felt it was a good price for the volume of food we got. Called in for take out...was told that it would be ready in 10-15 minutes. 30 minutes later the food came out. Small trade for the dinner they provided..
(4)Kyara M.
I would love to bump Famous Daves (FD) up to 4 stars. Even for someone who isn't crazy about BBQ, I can appreciate the great flavors you get from some good smokey BBQ. I really like FD's beef brisket and salt water catfish. The brisket is perfectly cooked encompassing all of the natural flavors of the cut of meat. The catfish, while small, are seasoned perfectly. Corn muffins are pretty damn good to be restaurant. Very buttery, moist and lighted toasted. Services generally has always been good. Now, where I have to knock off some points is their banana pudding. When they do have it in stock, I always get it because it is that damn good. Absolutely amazing. The only person I know that makes great banana pudding is my auntie. However, considering the non-instant kind of banana pudding is time consuming, she can't always make me a batch. It's nice to have a restaurant in town that serves it and serves it well. The last three times I've dined at FD, they were complete out. One time, we even asked the waiter if they had any and we were told yes. Well, when it comes time to order it, we are told they were out. What?! How can this be so!? Last time we dined, we (again) asked the waiter if they had any. He said yes. OK. About 15 minutes later, he tells us there was only enough to make 1 more serving. Our table had to share it. I am not sure how many batches they make during a day but I would recommend they make more. The last three times we've came, it as during general dinner hours so it is not like we are coming too late in the day and are just missing out. It seems that they simply do not make enough. Their banana pudding is the most popular dessert. That being said, why not make extra when there is high demand? Also, they got rid of the apples. Not sure why when they were very popular.
(3)Blair J.
This is decent BBQ. Basically, if you really want some BBQ, and you're in Madison, WI, this will be fine. I've just had a whole lot better. The BBQ is average. The flavor is pretty good, the meat is iffy, and the food seems sloppily prepared. It's almost like they could earn another star if they only took the 3 extra minutes to properly prepare the food before it comes to the table - pick out some good slices of pickles, arrange the meat neatly on the bun so it isn't falling off onto the plate, etc. It feels lazy - and they can afford to be because there is little competition in town. Other bad things - their pop is gross. I don't know if I just caught them on a bad day, but I hate flavorless pop like this. The service was okay. A whole 10 min passed between the time I was finished and the time I got the check, and it was not because they were busy. I did get my food pretty quick though. Overall - average at best, and certainly unimpressive today.
(2)Travis B.
This is my 3rd time here and it's always the same regardless of how busy - slow and sub-standard food quality for famous daves.
(3)Victor L.
I was really amazed by the BBQ here. I'm from the South Chicago. Therefore, I know what good BBQ is. Haha... I got to say this place is not bad at all. Sure you may second think it by being a chained restaurant-ish, but looks can sure be deceiving. Sadly, this place was very dead, but the service was well awake. For me, BBQ is really hard to describe in words. It's a type of food you just have try for your self. Even though most of the items on the menu are sort of pricey, you have to get, I guess the sampler, "the feast for 2. It'll change your mind about overrated BBQ joints.
(3)John G.
As you're aware it's a chain. Occasionally the bbq can be a bit dry, but it's easily made up with the various sauces. They have a good variety of sauces to appease a wide variety of people. I recommend hitting the place for lunch. The you pick 2 meats deal is very reasonable. My hint would be if you're debating an early or late lunch, go later. If you are early sometimes you get meat from the night before. Later it seems to be fresher.
(4)Brandy L.
Yummy! I've now eaten here twice in the past month. Both times the good was delicious. I ordered chicken BBQ sandwich Memphis style with a side a Mac n cheese.
(5)Sage H.
Lemonade was great. Sauces are good, flavorful. Cornbread was buttery and crisp. But the brisket was tough and gummy. The chicken was ok but wasn't much. Gone after a few pinches off the bone. I don't like thigh meat. I expected pulled bbqed breast meat. But it was whole chicken thighs so the meat was not flavorful. The beans were described beautifully but it was just plain ole beans with no flavor.
(1)Tunaidi A.
Where else in Madison can I get good old southern American barbecue meat? Famous Dave's is the answer. I'm a huge fan of the rib tips here. I never fail to get them as they are juicy, mouthwatering, and delicious. If I get anything else, I usually do the half and half combo, where I can try something else for one half of my plate and still get my beloved rib tips. I'm also a fan of having the cornbread and a side dish come free with each order. It never hurts to eat more food at a very affordable price. The best thing about this Famous Dave's location is their service. I feel like every time I've been here, I've come with a group of 10-15 people and the staff is so quick to put together tables and take our orders.
(4)B R.
Famous Dave's has always been my go-to place for a birthday meal, and often in between birthdays. But this last time it was different. Only two bbq sauce choices on each table, no butter for corn or muffins, no wet-nap for clean up. And the portions were smaller. After spending $30-40 on a meal for two what you don't want is to leave still feeling peckish. It really felt like they were trying to cheap out on everything. It's a shame, because previously I'd always been completely satisfied. Still friendly wait staff, but next year I'm going to look around.
(2)Jason H.
This was a tough one for me to write as overall I like Famous Dave's quite a bit but I have had a couple of "not so good" experiences as of late, and I thought I should let people know about them. FIRST - Do not get take out from this location - I cannot comment about other locations but this one is just not good. It seems to me they save the best ribs for those dining in and give the old, dry, cold ones to the take out people.....BOOOOOOO. Secondly - the restaurant as a whole just seems to be in decline. We live very close to this location and I drive by it regularly and it just seems to always be very slow around the place. Not sure if it is the poor quality of food they are putting out or what but something should change. I absolutely love ribs and their sauces are the best but come on Famous Dave.....get your quality back up and maybe just maybe you will get people back in the door.
(3)Sam G.
Nothing special, but not bad if you're in Madison (a city void of good bbq) and have a craving for bbq. I've had the brisket and the pulled pork a few times. It's always been cooked well, decently flavorful. The sides are ok, and the portions are big for the price. Service is always friendly and pretty fast. 3 1/2 stars.
(3)Sophie P.
I can make BBQ at home in my slow cooker. If you want good BBQ go to Smokey Jon's not a chain restaurant.
(1)Ann B.
solid bbq not great but never been dissapointed very good burnt ends good burgers if someone in group doesn't wan't bbq like the beans and cornbread good kids meals at ressonable prices my kids love that they come with oreos have always had solid service prices on par with other bbq joints like the variety of sauce choices hubby loves the blues music they play
(4)Brendan T.
This is for the Dells location which didn't come up on Yelp but I'm sure it would be the same review anyway...so would you think "Devil's Spit" BBQ sauce would be spicy? You'd be wrong here....no heat just endless sugar and salt...even the broccoli!
(2)Kevin T.
Famous Daves, I got nothin' against you. Your food is good and I've had pleasant experiences at other locations. Not that I need to visit this place all the time, but, you know, it's good. Except this place. The particular night we came here was the result of a severe overcrowding at Concert on the Square. So we gave up and arrived around 6:00PM to a fairly empty restaurant. Our waitress took our drink orders and I promptly received my beer. My wife, ordering the common Spotted Cow, was informed nearly 15 minutes later the keg was tapped. So, she ordered a soda and we ordered our meal, and I ordered soup to get me started. Fast forward 20 minutes, and my wife has killed her soda. Our waitress is nowhere to be seen in a still-fairly-empty-for-dinnertime restaurant. I walk up to the bar to get her a refill. The bartender tells me he can't refill sodas. A few minutes later, a server shows up with my soup. Literally with another server right behind him with our entrees. Now, the food was just about on par with what I've had at other Famous Daves. But this one left me with a not so great impression. I give it two stars for the food, but hold back the rest for the service.
(2)M S.
Sure the idea of bbq from a chain restaurant is a turn-off but Famous Dave's really is a good place. The ribs are good the sauce is good, the brisket is good. $3 margaritas every day. Tonight our ribs were just a little tough and our server could have done a touch better, but we are fans and always like our dinner here.
(4)Brian H.
Famous Dave's has some great sauces to choose from. I am a fan of the Fire Pit. The food is great and filling. You get a lot of food for a decent price. We had excellent service as well. But, then again, it was a Monday late afternoon. The place was pretty empty.
(4)Stephanie Q.
Firstly why is it called Famous Daaves BBQ? 1. Who is Dave? 2. Is Dave really famous? I walked in, curious to try the food. The decoration is cute, lots of sign boards everywhere. My waiter was pretty awesome. We had 6 bottles of BBQ sauce on our table and he explained every single one of them, the flavor, how hot / sweet it was, what it was made of. Then he brought us a plate of potato chips so we could try each sauce. I liked the original and the sweet/zesty one. I was afraid of trying the XXL sauce because it was super spicy. Spicy food makes me cry. I ordered from the lunch menu and decided on the St. Louis ribs. It came with a corn muffin, corn on the cob and your choice of side, I had broccoli. When my food came, I only had 3 ribs. I was expected at least half a slab. St. Louis ribs aren't that great, the meat isn't that tender and there is too much fat. Baby back ribs are so much better, baby ribs are always WINNING! The corn muffin was excellent. Corn on the cob, can't say much, just has lots of butter so it tastes good. At the end of the meal, the waiter gave us a free bottle of original bbq sauce.
(3)Timothy S.
Excellent Bar-B-Que food. Just recently had the Salmon. Waiter was great and he said he's been there something like 8 years! What does that say for the place? They must take good care of their staff and also provide them with a place they love to work at. We love to eat there. Prices are a little above inexpensive. Atmosphere is nice. A little crowded. Bathrooms are pretty clean but not perfect. We really like this place. Wish it was larger. Update: Went here and ordered a burger. Something has changed because the meat itself was lousy. Nothing much different than a fast food burger and actually a little worse. What's up Famous Daves???? Update: Just tried their BBQ chicken sandwich. The flavor was just just ok. Not bad but not Dave's Delicious. The meat seemed a bit skimpy too. Never noticed before but their buns are all white wonder bread. Sorry Dave but that doesn't cut it with me. Can't you do a better bun than that? The service continues to be quite good here but I have to now say, stay away from their sandwiches. They are sort of fast food quality. Not what I expect from a good BBQ restaurant. Update: Went back again. The Salmon was ok to good but the shrimp was awful. It was like eating dry wads of newspaper. Way, way overcooked. No juiciness left in them. It was carry out so we ate what we could and tossed the rest. If I had been eating in they would have been sent back. Truly the worst shrimp I have ever been served. This is it for me. Won't be going back here for some time. They need a new chef. Big mess. Update: Gave them another try. (two years later) Had a delicious feast for two. One complaint. The corn sucks. It needs to be replaced with something else. Everything else was excellent. Cost with tip: 53 dollars. Not cheap.
(3)Alison Y.
Famous Dave's is kind of like the McDonalds of barbeque. You know exactly how it's going to taste. It's not all that authentic, but it's still tasty. However, there are much better barbeque places in this town, so why waste your time here?
(3)Jason M.
Used to love Famous Dave's before it became corporate and moved away from quality. That was a different time and in the state to the west of Wisconsin, even though the Hayward location is the original. The ribs are now are par-cooked, frozen, and shipped to the locations to be re-heated on the grill. Maybe this satisfies a barbeque fix, but once private equity owners take over a restaurant, quality goes downhill. I don't think Dave is even involved with the operation anymore. Skip and go to another place or the Honky Tonk in Chicago. Or buy the sauce (one good thing that's still there) and make your own ribs.
(2)jon a.
There are not a lot of places to find good bar-b-que in Madison and this is my personal favorite. The Dave burger makes me gain weight just thinking about it and it is worth having to fit in another workout to enjoy it. The place is nothing fancy but something that serves huge slabs of meat should not be. The service is simple but good. If you want a fun atmosphere, great eats that will not empty your wallet I recommend Famous Daves.
(5)mary b.
i agree with jon on this one. famous dave's does have great BBQ. and the setting is perfect for it. big tables for big parties. it's ideal for sharing, conversing, you name it. get your hands dirty and dig in. famous dave's is yummy.
(4)Luke B.
During my four years in Mad-Town, I enjoyed this hometown BBQ pit probably 30 times. Except for the time the waitress literally told me to "clean my face" (not joking), the food has always been pretty solid and the service fairly quick. Lots of parking.
(4)Nina O.
Authentic, perhaps not, yummy?- you bet! Famous Dave's is a little hokey, a little fakey, but still...the Dave's Ultimate Burger with bacon and chopped pork on top of an enormous burger is literally to die for! My personal fave is the Georgia chopped pork- as a platter it's a whole pile of food for ten bucks. the Mr. really loves the bread pudding on the rare occasion we order dessert!
(4)Adam M.
Great sauce can go only so far... Madison's Famous Dave's is on par with 4/5 of the 'Famous' franchises that I have visited. Excellent prices, intriguing menu, entertaining atmosphere of shi*hole nostalgia and cheesy Dave photo manipulations. The main difference with this franchise is the lack of a wait. S. Park Street's Famous franchise is in a lower-midlin stretch of town with little in terms of decent choices (spare me with Edo's diatribes). It has plenty of parking and open tables (yes, I know Madison is far from the BBQ mecca of the world, but ... AYE!?!?!). The main draw to Dave's is the sauce. There is not a BBQ experience like it ... the table feature at least five sauces (sadly missing chipotle) including the best ever ... Texas Pit (tangy/peppery drippings from BBQ heaven). Food costs are reasonable and the offerings can be madcap fun (IE. the HIGHLY recommended feasts served on aluminum trash lids). All these positives and only four stars ... what gives? It's meat quality! Wisconsin Dells location has the best grade of like meat available. Several times I have stopped over to their restaurant only to be floored by the seemingly more tender and less fat saturated ribs and beef brisket. Over here (like the other franchise), I've been less than impressed with fatty and inconsistent meat tenderness. Although this location is not perfect, it's still my 2ND favorite BBQ joint that I had the opportunity to slop in.
(4)Ken E.
I really wanted to like this place but after two tries I will not be back. One, very overpriced. Two, I could look past the price if the food was good. Tried the ribs the first time and was sad at the quality. The second time, tried some sandwiches and still disappointed in the quality and price. I've found that it is hard to find a good place to eat in Madison. Been here a few months and have found only a couple of good places.
(2)Jeremy K.
Dave, I get it. Your establishment serves lots of tasty meat. Understood. But do you have to name a sandwich "Texas Manhandler"? That's really just too much.
(4)Dave S.
Sorry folks, but if you think Famous Dave's is great BBQ then you need to get to a real down home open pit place sometime. Few BBQ places in the Midwest serve up the real deal BBQ, but there are some around, just not in Madison. Head to Speed Queen or Isiaah's in Milwaukee for truly excellent BBQ. Other than that head down South. Whatever you do, don't confuse Famous Dave's with the real thing. It ain't.
(3)Michael E.
I have always really liked Famous Dave's. Dave has always been good to me, he knows just how to make a pulled pork sandwich just the way I like it. His ribs are delcious, too. You're not going to find any earth shattering new way to get pork dishes, but man it's delicious. Great cheap, hearty food to make you feel better. The televisions everywhere are probably great for game days, but a little distracting when you're with friends. My buddy Marcus also brought to my attention to the pig motif carried through the entire restaurant with disturbing frequency. Try that with cows in a burger joint and see how that plays out...
(4)